World History

Last class is on Thursday before the exam.
Students must be present on Thursday to wrap up the semester and ask any questions regarding the exam or the paper.
The study guide will be distributed during Thursday's class; it will not be posted online.
Paper is due at the same time as the exam (Tuesday) - both must be submitted together. No exceptions.

Last class covered Greek religion and Athens's golden age, focusing on literature and theater.
Discussion on key figures like Pericles and advancements in the arts.

Concept of Comedy and Tragedy: Greeks perfected both and much of today’s theater practices stem from them.
Amphitheater: Plays were performed here, generally without props; settings were conveyed through dialogue (e.g., actors stating conditions like rain)
Actors and Chorus: Initially one actor, later expanded to three, with a chorus to echo lines.
Gender Restrictions: Women were barred from performing, and possibly from attending performances as well. In many cultures and periods, including Elizabethan England, male actors played female roles.

Masks: Actors wore masks for several reasons: - To conceal identities and signify different characters. - To express emotions that could assist with voice projection. - To divert audience focus from the actor's celebrity to the performance itself, emphasizing the narrative rather than the actor.

Lysistrata: - A play where women, led by Lysistrata, go on a sex strike to compel men to end the Peloponnesian War. - Themes: Women’s empowerment, social activism, and the futility of war. - Aristophanes faced arrest for the play's criticism of the government.

Oedipus Rex: - The story revolves around Oedipus, who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother as part of fulfilling a prophecy. - Key themes include: - Fate vs. free will - The quest for knowledge and its consequences. - Ends with Oedipus blinding himself after discovering the truth, and his mother’s subsequent suicide.
Antigone: Another notable work, focuses on themes of moral conflict and familial loyalty.

Medea: - Centers on Medea, who takes revenge on her unfaithful husband Jason by murdering their children after he abandons her. - Themes of love, betrayal, revenge, and the psychological extremes of human emotion.
Trojan Women: - Focuses on the brutal aftermath of war, examining the fates of women after the fall of Troy, emphasizing the brutality of war and loss.

Acropolis: High ground in Athens that served as a defense and religious center.
Agora: Marketplace central to public life where politics, trade, and social activities occurred.
Parthenon: - Temple dedicated to Athena, reflecting Athenian wealth, power, and architectural prowess. - Serves multiple historical roles: temple, church, mosque, and a gunpowder storage site leading to its explosion in the 17th century.

Philosophers are individuals pursuing wisdom and rational thought.
Distinction between Philosophers and Sophists: - Sophists traveled and taught for pay, often skeptical and questioning, promoting the idea that wisdom comes from within.
Major philosophers of note include Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, key figures whose works significantly influence modern thought.

Students are encouraged to read and review materials before the exam and articulate questions regarding the complex interactions in these historical narratives.
The discussion of philosophers will continue in the next class, alongside further exploration into the contributions of women in ancient Greek thought and society.